Most of us know cultivating a grateful heart is good for us. But do we know just how good? Full confession, for most of my life I've battled worry and fear, which generally led me into the land of doubt. The first thing that I usually found myself doubting was the goodness of God. At that point, gratitude was usually devoid in my heart.
So trust me when I say that this is a choice that I still struggle with in my daily life. But by the grace of God I'm getting more consistent with choosing gratitude over fear when life throws me a curveball.
Having said that, here are three reasons I've discovered why I should embrace the choice of being grateful:
1) Being grateful glorifies God. Being grateful helps us to view God throughout out daily lives, it opens up our eyes to the spiritual, we become aware of the blessings that He has given us. I've found that when I choose to be grateful, I become more aware of His presence, His provision and His perfect love. I also have found that it's impossible to receive a gift with gratitude without also allowing that act to bond you closer to the gift giver. "And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory." (2 Corinthians 4:15)
2) Gratitude will bring us peace. If you have lived any amount of time on this planet, you have probably learned about the importance of attitude and the impact that our perspective has on every aspect of our life. God, who created us, desires for us to live a life of peace, where fear and worry are eradicated from our daily experiences. It is His desire to give us the gift of His peace, which is not dependent upon our circumstances but instead is dependent upon His presence. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)
3) Finally, being grateful is the will of God. Would you like to learn how to please God, and how to live a life that is fulfilling your destiny? Choose gratefulness, by first recognizing God's hand in everything that is good in our lives. "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." (James 1:16-17) And then remember that being grateful fulfills the will of God for our lives. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Couple of closing thoughts, like most things that are good for us, choosing to be grateful can sometimes be difficult. It often requires us to swim upstream against our culture, as well as fighting our own self-interests, as well as analyzing our perspective of God's goodness, which is one of the major components to being grateful. Take away that piece of reality and everything else in your life will fall flat.
And like ever other command in the Bible, God doesn't just strand us with the commandment, He provides the way to fulfill His desire for our lives. Check out these real-life applications from the book of Colossians: "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:15-17)
Choose gratitude!
